Privatisation to blame for Southern Rail farce, say union leaders

The leaders of the country's two largest unions for train staff would not be blamed for the ongoing crisis on Southern Rail

The RMT leader at the heart of the Southern Rail dispute said the government was to blame (EPA)

The heads of the two most powerful unions for train staff said the ongoing dispute that is debilitating Southern Rail was evidence that the current franchising sytem was not working, as they argued that the railways should be brought back under public ownership.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), and Mick Whelan of Aslef gave evidence to MPs at the transport select committee, and said that privatisation had been a 'spectacular failure.'

The industrial action by Southern Rail staff, which has now been going on for so long that house prices in Brighton and elsewhere have been affected, was the two men told the committee, being driven by the Government through the Department for Transport.

Mr Cash said the issue remained that the union wanted a safety-critical person on every train, adding that he was angered by moves to "demonise" workers.

Mr Whelan said there was virtually no comeback on rail franchises that provided a poor service: "I don't believe in privatisation - it has been a spectacular failure."

Mr Cash said £1 billion a year could be saved by bringing the railways back under public ownership, telling MPs that fewer firms were now bidding for franchises anyway.

The industry was now run by "serial monopolies" with no direct competition, MPs were told.

As the two men addressed the committee, severe disruption affected Thameslink and East Midlands Trains because of over-running engineering work.

Southern passengers also complained of ongoing problems. No more industrial action is planned by the RMT over the conductors' dispute until next week.